East Point Light is a lighthouse in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It is part of Heislerville Wildlife Management Area. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) S of Port Norris. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (39 ft). It dates from 1849. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The East Point Light, known as the Maurice River Light before 1913, is a lighthouse located in Heislerville, New Jersey on the Delaware Bay at the mouth of the Maurice River in Maurice River Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The lighthouse was built in 1849 and is the second oldest in New Jersey, with only the Sandy Hook Light, which was built in 1764, being older. The light was inactive from 1941 and was nearly destroyed by fire in 1971. The light was reinstated by the United States Coast Guard in 1980. Exterior restoration was completed in 1999. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1995 for its significance in engineering, maritime history, and transportation. It became part of the Maurice River Lighthouse and East Point Archeological District on October 30, 2015. The lighthouse was fully restored in 2017. The lighthouse is...From the Wikipedia article “East Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At East Point Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:41 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 26m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From East Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:01 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 72 | 77 | 91 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | -3 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is East Point, Maurice River Cove, 815 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of East Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
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Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph East Point Light?
What time is golden hour at East Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at East Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from East Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at East Point Light?
How far is East Point Light from Port Norris?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.